The Bitch Ditch

An artists book is a limited edition book that is produced by
an artist or by a collective and that has aspects of
handmade work in it. The artists book has an edition
number and is signed by the artist/s who have worked on
the book as well as by the writer of the text if this is relevant.
The artists book may be in the form of hand printed
lithographs, lino cuts, letterpress or even hand written. They
are often made using an unconventional format and
unusual binding. There are not that many artists in South
Africa who make artists books (it is a time consuming
process and is something that the general public are not
really aware of).

Artists books allow artists to combine aspects of their
artmaking with text in novel and exciting ways. The edition
number for artists books produced in South Africa is usually
fairly small (100 copies or less). This makes artists books
relatively rare and collectable. The “can do” approach of
South Africans has extended to the production of artists’
books and has resulted in some unconventional
approaches to the concept. Graduates from the Wits
Technikon have done some very exciting pieces, which have
included handmade paper, sculptural elements, plastic
bags, fabric, embroidery and wire work. Artists books
produced by The Artists’ Press have received international
acclaim and can be found in some of the worlds leading
libraries.

Any artists book produced in South Africa has to have a
copy, or a number of copies donated to the State Library
Collection. This ensures that South Africa as a country has
an archive of artists books produced in the country. It also
acts as a resource for people who are interested in artists
books but who cannot afford them.

One of the best and biggest international artists book
collections that of a Johannesburg Art patron, Jack
Ginsburg, who is also the founder and Director of the
Ampersand Foundation. This is a collection of contemporary
Artists Books and includes all the ones that have been
produced at The Artist Press.

There are a few specialised artists books dealers in South
Africa who deal locally and internationally. Clarkes
Bookshop in Cape Town sells all kinds of collectable books
and can be relied on for artists books. Johannesburg based
Thoralds Books caters for the serious collector and have
clients across the globe. They focus on work with an
Africana emphasis. The Art on Paper Gallery also sells
Artists Books and actively supports the idea of “democratic
multiples” which refers to artists books that are produced in
a format and at a price that is easily assessable to the
person in the street.

To look at what artists books are available from the Artists’
Press please go to www.artprintsa.com

Tamar Mason, artist and writer focusing on limited edition
investment prints in Southern Africa

Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the “first incorporated black community in America” (Wall 376). Perhaps her isolation from white racism and discrimination during her childhood and her mother’s encouragement to “jump at da sun” contributed to her strong sense of self and her audacity in crossing racial, social, and gendered boundaries (Wall 376). Indeed, in exploring Hurston’s life and experiences, it is difficult to believe that Hurston herself discerned any boundaries attempting to be foisted on her. Hurston describes her literary aesthetics as:

E-learning, which is at present a major area of growth in the information sector, is the word for education by means of the electronic media. And as a result of widespread computer networking, the increasing accessibility of the internet and the easy availability of web development tools, E-learning now has a wider array of development and delivery technologies. And what more, this type of learning has been seen as cost effective as well.

However, the cost of E-learning services depend on many factors like, the kind of Web infrastructure in place, the complexity of programming required and the length of courses. But, on the whole, it’s been found that an e-learning course costs about half as mush as an instructor-led course. So, a main advantage associated with E-learning is the cost and flexibility. There are many flexible learning plans to choose from in E-learning services. E-learning also considerably speeds up the process of learning interaction and storage and delivery of information. It also leaves room for customization of learning materials.

With E-learning services, courses are available online and can as a result be easily and quickly updated, in just a matter of minutes. Also, you don’t need programmers or technical people for it. And there’s also a good level of accountability, with automated scoring/reporting that can tell you if you’ve learned anything from the course. These courses can also be easily formulated. The already existing courses and documents can be copy-pasted to create a new course. Also, as many companies are realizing, E-learning is an inexpensive way to train customers on the products and services of your company. This in turn will lead to improved customer loyalty and supplier relationships at reduced cost.

And the best place to E-learning service providers is India. The experienced E-Learning services providers of India will help to ensure that you don’t miss out on any of the benefits of E-learning as well as ensuring its success. E-Learning services providers in India will also help to make the already existing training materials and infrastructure more effective by designing and developing a more cost-effective and better quality system.

There are many other advantages to opting for E-Learning services providers in India. They’re more cost effective than E-learning service providers in other countries. Also, the cost competitiveness of Indian web development and E-learning service providers can be exploited to your advantage. E-Learning services providers in India functions as a sound part of your organization and will extend their expertise to deliver quality web content development and E-learning services.

And for this purpose, the E-Learning services of India offer diverse teams of motivated and skilled professional consultants with ample experience in IT applications development and integration, e-Business Development & Integration, Client/Server Systems, and Technical Writing. They also have the knowledge and experience required to understand your business and technical requirements and help you design solutions for your present needs as well as any future requirements. So, grab this opportunity and watch yourself leave your competitors behind.

He also made money by collecting and selling lost golf balls. Buffett’s interest in finance was clear extremely early on in his life.

He started playing the stock market with one of his sisters when he was eleven. At twelve, he was betting on horses, and by high school he had started a business (pinball machines) with a friend, which earned him fifty dollars a week. Not only did he own a business by graduation, but he also had bought himself forty acres of Nebraskan farm land with his profit. Graduate school was a formative time for Buffett.

It was there that he met Benjamin Graham, an economic scholar whose work Buffett had begun studying in college. Buffett believed strongly in Graham’s theory that it is wise to look for stocks of companies which are undervalued, which will most probably prosper with a little time. Thus began Buffett’s untraditional approach to portfolio management. After working for his father’s investment banking company for the three years after business school, Buffett returned to Graham and worked as a security analyst at Graham’s company for two years until 1956.

In that year, at the age of twenty-five, Buffett started his own investment company, the Buffett Partnership, using $5,000 of his own funds and collecting $100,000 from interested friends and family.

One of the smartest moves made by Buffet’s company at that time was to invest in American Express. In 1963, a scandal surrounded AmEx, and Wall Street believed the company was near the end. But Buffett, always with his wits about him and his thinking cap on, noticed when in restaurants and shops that customers were still using the card to buy. He went ahead and bought 5 percent of the stock, which by 1961 had risen from 35 to 189 market points. Buffett is now chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which makes the long-term investments which Buffett is so adept at choosing.

Mark Crisp
The Momentum Stock Trader
http://www.stressfreetrading.com

Distance education has afforded generations of students the opportunity pursue their educational goals outside of the traditional school system. It has allowed countless students the ability to further their education, while allowing them to maintain their obligations to their families and employers. While distance education is not for everyone, it has certainly stood the test of time. The following is a brief timeline of events related to distance education.

* 1840 - Isaac Pitman begins teaching shorthand by correspondence in the UK.

* 1858 - The University of London creates its External Program.

* 1883 - New York State authorizes the Chautauqua Institute to award degrees earned via correspondence.

* 1891 - The Colliery Engineer School of Mines renames itself International Correspondence Schools.

* 1892 - The University of Chicago starts administering the first university courses by mail.

* 1906 - The Calvert School of Baltimore becomes the first primary school in the United States to offer correspondence courses.

* 1916 - The National University Continuing Education Association is created in the United States.

* 1921 - Pennsylvania State College begins broadcasting courses on the radio.

* 1933 - The University of Iowa begins broadcasting courses on television.

* 1950 - The Ford Foundation begins offering grants to create and develop educational programs for television broadcasting.

* 1967 - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is created.

* 1970 - Walden University is established.

* 1974 - California State University offers a Masters degree via correspondence.

* 1982 - The National University Teleconferencing Network is established.

* 1984 - The personal computer is named “man of the year” by Time Magazine.

With the advent of the personal computer and the development of the internet, distance education has evolved into an extremely important element of modern education. Most every university in North America offers courses online, while an entire cottage industry has formed around the concept of online education. There are countless online courses available to members of the general public. The wonderful thing about online education is that there are no borders, and prospective students worldwide now have access to the same opportunities. Online learning has the ability to make the world a better place. In some ways, it already has.

Having children is a life long commitment and it can be a daunting task when you think of all the different ways you can go about raising your child. Nowadays you need all the good help and information you can get when it comes to the development of your child, and there are many great websites on the internet that will give you a wealth of information. Whether you are just starting out with your first child, or maybe you need help with your teenager, you will find what you need to help you do the right thing for your child no matter what age they are or how many children or even grandchildren you are raising. There are hundreds, if not thousands of books out there that say they can help you with your child’s development. Most of them are reputable however, they are supposed to be a tool to help you and give you some idea of how to help your child grow up healthy and strong. You should rely on your instincts too because you probably know more than you realize.

There are also many schools and training centers that you can enroll your child in that will help them with their school work and teach them the study skills they need to get ahead in school. There is help out their for parents who want their children to be the best they can be in all they do. Many websites can answer questions you have from doctor visits to separation anxiety. The first thing you will need to do to solve a specific problem is to find out what that problem is. So clarify the problem with your child’s development before you start looking for a solution. So identify the key elements of the problem before you start looking for a solution. Visualize the problem or relevant process or situation. Sometimes, when we can see the problem with a child’s development and all its important details right in front of us this will helps us understand the problem better. Other times we can’t see important elements because they have already occurred or are not visible. In these cases, it is valuable to visualize important elements of the problem. Sometimes things said about problems are easier than the actual problem itself.

Research shows that parents are a major influence on their child’s development. When looking for help, make sure the program you choose will include you in the process. It has also been found that parents who take time to play and read with their child will have a positive impact on them. Providing a stimulating home environment and using discipline strategies instead of spanking your child will have a more positive impact on them also. Most programs give free information on the best ways to promote a better education for your child. You want the best for your child’s development and there are many websites out there that will help you get the best development you can find for your growing child.

Foreign language vocabulary building can be one of the more tedious aspects of learning a language. Fortunately, there are various methods you can use to speed the process up, or at least to add a little spice.

Before beginning to learn foreign words, there is one point that is often overlooked and this is that words should be divided into two categories. Words that you want to be able to use and words that you just want to recognize. It is often said that 90 % of language is composed of 3000 or so commonly used words, but what is less often pointed out is that the other 10 % are pretty much endless. As a foreigner learning a second language the words that you want to use generally fall within the first 90 %. The others, by and large, just need to be recognized.

So now, armed with two categories, lets look at some ways to improve vocabulary.

Vocabulary Lists

The most obvious way of learning vocabulary is by making a vocabulary list and learning it. Its easy to write a list of words and doesn’t require much thought.

Not very subtle.

One thing (to remember) about learning and memory is that it is easier to retain language (and anything else) when active learning is involved. Organize your vocabulary list. Don’t just write it. Put the words into an order that makes sense to you. (Active learning). It is also easier to learn words by category, so group words by category e.g. animals, fruit etc.

In many languages different words have different genders. French, Italian and Spanish have masculine and feminine. German has masculine, feminine and neuter. As an aid to learning the gender of words try organizing vocabulary lists by gender.

Word association

Associate an English word with the foreign word you need to learn. For example, hortus is the Latin word for garden. Not very memorable in itself, but if you associate it with tortoise (because they rhyme) which lives in the garden, this mnemonic will help you remember the word.

The difficulty with using word association and lists as vocabulary learning tools is that they do not help you use the word. This is because they don’t give you any idea as to the context in which it should be used. The word will not necessarily spring to mind when you need it either.

Name items

Write words you are trying to learn on everyday items. This is an easy way to expand your vocabulary. All you need to do is glance at the writing every time you use the item. So not only have you associated the word with the object, something that a straight vocabulary list does not do, but you are more likely to remember it when you need it.

Learn complete sentences

A very good way of vocabulary building is to acquire vocabulary by learning sentences. It is often easier to learn a complete sentence than the individual words contained . There is the added bonus that you have an example of the word being used. Latin has so many pithy little expressions that it seems appropriate to use one to illustrate this.

Magna est veritas et praevalet great is truth and it prevails

Learning this sentence, you learn five words, and it is much easier to do this than learn the words individually. The same is true for French, Italian, Spanish etc. Pick a sentence which illustrates a point for you, look up the words and memorize it.

The downside of learning sentences to improve vocabulary is that this will not necessarily give you the gender of the words you are learning. These will need to be learnt separately.

Finally

No method of learning vocabulary is perfect. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The surest bet is to use a combination of them all.

Still interested in learning vocabulary ? Visit <http://www.linguata.com> for more.

For those who truly care about the environment many consider themselves eco-warriors and work countless hours in their chosen cause. As a retired entrepreneur from the car wash business I always understood how important clean water is. As a runner I always realized how important clean air is. So am I an environmentalist by profession, observation or choice?

Well generally I do not consider myself an environmentalist at all, although my action appear to point to that? Additionally in my retirement and the author of over 6000 online articles; I will often write on environmental issues and have been called a 24/7 Eco Warrior? Do I like this title? Well it is interesting that perception one might get from their observations of my various activities.

However as far as a 24/7 Eco warrior; I am a 24/7 type of guy indeed, Eco Warrior, well I am a realist and believe in the cycles, flows and patterns of the Earth Systems and realize it will take care of its self, while the little human ants upon its surface do their thing. The issue really is that we need to be wise and not exacerbate the pendulum swings of the normal cycle flows. And we must maintain clean water and air if we want our own bio-systems to work right.

Indeed I feel the “Eco-Movement” often takes things too far and the doom and gloomers are not helping any real cause to change human behavior to prevent thru “noise canceling theory” to keep the normal frequency cycles of mother earth in line with what she has done for billions of years. I am not a Global Warming Alarmist, looking for a more balanced approach without destroying the flows of civilization to get there. I am a realist and have no problem debating in the real world, that’s where I live. Think on this in 2006 and ask yourself where do you fall on the environmental issues?

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The best online MBA program for you is one, wherein the program’s core courses and specializations are consistently matched to your career interests and objectives.

Here’s a fail-safe 6-point guide you can use to determine which among the many online MBA programs found on the net, is the best fit for you and your career goals.

One - select an accredited online MBA program. Whether you plan to embark on an entirely different career, or are looking to enhance an existing one, you should always pick an accredited online MBA program. An accredited online MBA program guarantees you are getting the best education possible. It also assures prospective employers that you have the skills they need in the company.

Two - This online MBA program can be customized to your needs and schedules. Surveys have shown that over 70% of MBA students are full time professionals. The program you enroll in should you give you the option of working when you have free time and the ability to accelerate your learning pace.

Three - What is the online ratio of professors to students? Online studies and surveys of MBA students have shown that classes where the number of students is limited 8-13 students to a teacher is the optimum learning environment. For you will need the guidance of your advisor as you determine your specializations and other details related to the course.

Fourth - Are you learning from top-notch online professors? Check the faculty of the prospective MBA program. Learning from these eminent professors ensures, you will glean invaluable insights because they possess real-world experiences and on different aspects of the business world.

Another question you will need to do research on is the school’s academic approach. Is it anchored on established teaching methods and aided by innovative technology online?

Fifth - Is there an alumni program in place? You should carefully evaluate the many benefits a sound alumni program will give your career. You’ve have opportunities to network, which will give you the added ability to get job promotions, or make a smooth career transition here or elsewhere in the globe. Another central aspect of the alumni network is the option of joining a mentoring program.

Sixth - in the matter of giving you excellent career opportunities, does this online MBA program have a career services center with the following support?

One aspect, free training, or free attendance in courses related to your degree. Other career services include guidance in creating your resumes or portfolios, and the necessary planning that goes before an interview. You should therefore carefully weigh the comprehensiveness and competence of the school’s career services, when selecting the MBA program that’s best for you.

Here is a thought to ponder on, as you evaluate the importance of finding the best online MBA program for your needs. With an MBA degree, the ability of your salary to increase jumps up by as much as 50%. Don’t you therefore owe it to yourself to use these pointers in picking the best online MBA program to get your career to a rapid start?

Mansi gupta recommends that you visit www.ombag.net/2005/12/what_is_the_bes.html for more information on best online MBA program

If you are thinking about utilizing a distance learning program then you need to familiarize yourself with a whole new set of terms and definitions that help to make up this new way of learning. Here are a few to get you started, the ABC’s of distance learning.

Under A you may find the following terms:

Academic Advisor. An academic advisor is a person appointed by the college or university representative who provides guidance to students in to help them select courses and an academic program that will meet the requirements to complete an online degree program.

Accreditation. This is the process by which online degree programs are monitored to ensure that they meet certain standards or requirements. There are special accrediting agencies at the national and regional level that ensure that the distance learning program meets all of the specific curricular standards in order to grant online degrees Associate Degree. An associate online degree is usually granted after completion of a two-year post secondary program. It also is sometimes known as a transfer degree.

Under B you may find:

Baccalaureate. This is more commonly known as a bachelor’s degree and is usually granted after four years of study at an online degree granting college or university.

Baud. A baud is a technical measurement of digital transmission that is used to describe the rate at which information flows between two electronic devices such as modems. The higher the baud rate means the faster information is processed and transferred between two computers.

Under C you will find:

Case Study. A case study is a common presentation style to help distance learning students see the application of a theoretical principle to a simulated or real-life situation. It helps students practice applying their analytical and presentation skills to the theories that are learning in their online classroom.

College. A college is an institution that normally offers associate and bachelor’s degrees. The focus at colleges is on education rather than research.

Conditional Acceptance or Admission. This is an offer to participate in a university or college online degree program to a student who meets the basic academic requirements, but might need to improve some other aspect of themselves such as passing an English proficiency exam in order to begin their distance learning program.

Cooperative or Co-op Program. These are distance learning programs that combine online classroom time with alternating work placements.

Course load. Course load refers to the number of courses taken or credits earned within a period of study that may be defined as a semester, term or quarter.

Credit. A credit is granted for each course completed and in order to get an online degree most academic programs require students to complete a certain number of credits or courses.